guidon

Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

n. A small flag or pennant carried as a standard by a military unit.

n. A soldier bearing such a flag or pennant.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

n. A small pennant or banner carried by infantry soldiers to direct troop movement.

n. A soldier assigned to carry such a banner.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English

n. A small flag or streamer, as that carried by cavalry, which is broad at one end and nearly pointed at the other, or that used to direct the movements of a body of infantry, or to make signals at sea; also, the flag of a guild or fraternity. In the United States service, each company of cavalry has a guidon.

n. One who carries a flag.

n. One of a community established at Rome, by Charlemagne, to guide pilgrims to the Holy Land.

from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

n. A small guiding flag or streamer, as that usually borne by each troop of cavalry or mounted battery of artillery, or used to direct the movements of infantry, or to signal with at sea. It is broad at the end next the staff and pointed, rounded, or notched at the other end.

n. The officer carrying the guidon.

n. The flag of a gild or fraternity.

Etymologies

French, from Old French, from Old Italian guidone, from guidare, to guide, from Old Provençal guidar; see guide.

(American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)

From French guidon, from Italian guidone. (Wiktionary)

Examples

In the Barron's metaphor, Tancredo picking up the guidon was a noble and courageous act, rallying the troops.

The "guidon," or color-bearer, of the Howitzers had concealed the battle flag of the company about his person, and before the final separation cut it into pieces of about four by six inches, giving each man present